Their little star

Melinda

“I got to say, I wasn’t expecting to see you down here at this time. I almost expected I would need to go and wake you up.”

Melinda says, smiling as she sees that Skye has placed the mattresses for their training. Hearing her speak, Skye turns around with an eye roll, but she is smiling.

“I’m more surprised I’m the first one down here.”

She replies and this time Melinda rolls her eyes, she can’t stop smiling herself as she walks down the last few steps.

“Did you managed to get any sleep?”

She asks, eyeing Skye as she does, to see her reaction. She can see that the young woman haven’t gotten enough sleep, which is a bit concerning, then again her nightmares is something else.

“A few hours at least, that’s why I’m here so early. Woke up, realised the time and decided it was no use going back to sleep again.”

She explains, which makes Melinda nod her head. She can accept that explanation, and as long as she got a few hours of sleep she should be fine.

“Alright then, let’s begin shall we?”

She says, taking her place, Skye joins on her right. Feeling how there’s still tension in the girl beside her, knowing that she won’t calm down about what ever is making her worried has been dealt with, or at least the parts she wants to talk about.

“How are you holding up?”

Melinda asks, keeping her eyes on the wall in front of them, but from the corner she can see how Skye stops moving for a second, to turn her head before she starts moving again.

“I thought you said no talking during Tai-chi.”

Skye points out, which makes Melinda smile, happy that her training is this hard kept.

“Exceptions can be made, and we both know you won’t relax until whatever is on your heart. I can feel it, so tell me, how are you holding up?”

Hearing how Skye let’s out a deep breath beside her, Melinda knows she has won this battle. And seeing how Skye keeps doing her movements, she doesn’t stop herself.

“I’m scared, seeing how Simmons thought that jumping out of the plane to save the rest of us, it just...”

Skye starts to say, and Melinda had a feeling this would be the main problem. She had been worried herself and was quite happy that Phil decided to have a word with the young biochemist, if she would have to do it, it wouldn’t have ended that good.

“It made me realise that, she’s not the only one I know that would pull a stunt like this. Tash and Clint would do the same thing in a heart beat, and so would you and Phil. Ria an Vic would think it through a second time before doing it...”

Skye fall silent at this, focusing on her movements and keeping her breathing even. Knowing it won’t help either of them if she speaks now, Melinda keeps silent, glancing over to make sure the young woman beside her won’t break down.

“It just scares me that the people around me, the once that means so much would pull something like that and I can’t... I don’t think I could ever handle losing either of you.”

She says after a minute of silence. Feeling the sadness, Melinda lowers her arms slightly, ready to hug the girl. But seeing how Skye doesn’t stop her own Tai Chi, Melinda starts once more.

“Ever since you picked me up at the hospital, my life finally took a turn for the better. Before that moment, I had been moved from one foster family to another. They most have known that they wouldn’t be able to keep me when they took me in, it’s the only reason as to why they would keep me on an arm length distance and act as if I was a bad kid, just so they wouldn’t get attached to me.”